More than £17m has been invested in upgrades at six sewage treatment sites, helping to protect water quality in local watercourses.
Northumbrian Water has carried out the work at the sites in the south of County Durham, and in the Stockton and Darlington boroughs, to deliver environmental benefits in the River Skerne, as well as the Billingham Beck, Bishopton Beck and Whitton Beck.
In County Durham, the company has invested £2.4m at Bishop Middleham Sewage Treatment Works (STW), £4.3m at Chilton Lane STW, near Ferryhill, £3m at Fishburn STW and a further £3m at Sedgefield STW.
At Bishopton STW, near Darlington, £1.3m has been invested, alongside £3.5m at Carlton and Redmarshall STW, Stockton.
The work increases the resilience of the sites, ensuring they continue to serve their local communities and the environment effectively.
At Sedgefield and Fishburn, work was carried out by Northumbrian Water’s partners, Galliford Try. Mott MacDonald Bentley (MMB) delivered the upgrades at the other four sites.
Phil Wallace, Capital Delivery Programme Manager at Northumbrian Water, said: “We’re really passionate about the environment, so it’s great to have delivered these projects, for the benefit of water quality in these local watercourses.
“All the work has been carried out on our own land, but we understand and appreciate that customers living nearby will have noticed a slight increase in traffic to and from the sites while the work was ongoing. We’re grateful for their patience and understanding.”